IAEA: Drone attacks disrupt power near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi is currently negotiating a localized ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia to allow for repairs at the ZTPP. This would be the eighth such ceasefire brokered by the IAEA aimed at securing the ZNPP's power. The facility has experienced multiple external power outages since Russia's full-scale invasion began.

An attack on September 22 reportedly disabled an off-site radiation monitoring station, diminishing the ZNPP's capacity to track nearby radiation levels. Additionally, other attacks struck buildings in Enerhodar, a city where many ZNPP staff reside, reportedly resulting in one fatality.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is Europe's largest nuclear facility. Ukraine has consistently warned that Russia's occupation of the plant poses a significant global nuclear safety threat. The IAEA had previously warned in May 2026 that increased drone activity near the ZNPP heightened the risk of a nuclear accident. In August, the agency reported a drone explosion at a staff bus stop that killed one person and injured 15 others.